Second-hand clothing star completes Morris dancing makeover

Thursday 30 June 2022

An Acorn employee has completed the "ultimate clothing upcycle" by transforming recycled textiles into a traditional Morris dancing outfit.

Tracy Noel, who supports clients to learn employment skills in Acorn Enterprise's clothing department, recently started Morris dancing and took the opportunity to create herself the perfect outfit made entirely from recycled material.

Pictured: Tracy has worked at Acorn for just over two-and-a-half years.

Tracy was born in London and has lived in Jersey since she was eight days old.

Now, aged 61, she works as a full-time support worker at Acorn, a social enterprise which provides employment and training for people with disabilities and long-term health conditions.

Explaining her work with Acorn, Tracy said: "I support clients in doing different tasks in the clothing department such as sorting, hanging and sizing donations, pricing items and re stocking the shop floor.

"These are skills that could enable clients to gain employment or voluntary work, and they also benefit wellbeing and mental health."

Pictured: "I love my job and get great satisfaction knowing that clients enjoy their sessions in the clothing department!"

Outside of work, Tracy has many hobbies such as living history, knitting, art, films and dog walking. However, her newest hobby is Morris dancing.

"I have recently joined Helier Morris as they opened up to form a mixed team, which gave me the opportunity to try out with the," she explained.

"I attended one practice evening and was hooked. It’s such fun and a great workout for the body as well as for the brain, as you have to remember the dances and not to get hit by your partner's stick!"

This hobby was the inspiration for Tracy's recent clothing upcycling project. She immediately fell in love with the traditional 'rag coats' worn by Morris dancers and decide to make her own.

Pictured: The creation of the coat was a "lengthy process".

Tracy said: "I asked to see a couple of coats to ascertain how to tackle it, and the result is one I am very happy with and 100% recycled using material from the sewing room and a shirt from the clothing department at Acorn.

"It was a lengthy process cutting all the strips of material which I did throughout the Easter holidays, Then, attaching and sewing the strips took a few more evenings which was challenging but rewarding!"

Tracy now has future plans to make a ‘Boro’ (Japanese mending) coat out of recycled denim, but admits that she has no idea when she will get around to this or how long it will take.

Pictured: Tracy modelling the finished project!

She is delighted with the positive response that her Morris dancing project has received: "I hope that I have inspired people to have a go at making or repurposing something.

"I didn’t like sewing at school and never thought I would be doing what I do now - it’s a newfound joy!"